Cloud computing refers to a practice in which a data owner uses remote storage and/or computing resources (e.g., data as a service (DaaS), storage as a service (STaaS)) to store, manage, and/or process data in addition to or instead of local storage and/or computing resources. Outsourcing the storage, management, and/or processing of data in this manner may provide a convenient and cost effective solution for limited local storage and/or computing resources. However, by storing data within a remote database, a data owner can relinquish control over the data to a potentially untrusted cloud service provider or hackers, risking exposure of sensitive data to possible misuse. For instance, outsourced data can be stored in a multi-tenant remote database and may thus comingle with data belonging to other data owners.
To prevent unauthorized access to or misuse of data stored at the remote database, a data owner may choose to use encryption techniques or other security measures. However, in some aspects, it may be desirable to share anonymous data with others, which generally would not be possible if the data were encrypted. The ability to anonymously share such data is a driving force behind the value of “Big Data.” Big Data can be used by companies to optimize targeted marketing efforts and increase sales/revenues. Accordingly, it can be desirable to store and/or provide anonymized data.